Maryland's rich topography ranges from sandy dunes along the coast, to low marshlands with bald cypress along the bay, to hills of oak forest in the Piedmont Region and pine groves in the western mountains. In the Allegheny Mountains, there's a 44,000-acre playground for off-road bikers, with 100 miles of dirt roads and a
... more challenging 11.6-mile wilderness loop with climbs and stream crossings. The Ridge also has 30 miles of scenic hiking trails covering wild territory. Along the Eastern Shore, the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area has a 90-mile trail system for more off-road biking, or discover the saltmarsh ecosystem by pedaling through the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries offer paddlers with flat-water excursions, white-water adventures, and plenty of commercial guides and outfitters to guide the way. A 185-mile stretch of the Potomac River, from Cumberland to Washington D.C., offers a variety of paddling excursions. Anglers prefer the North Branch of the Potomac for its smallmouth bass and trout, or Deer Creek, where rainbow and brown trout make it a prime fishing hole. The Upper Chesapeake Bay area offers excellent fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass, and also entices with its beautiful scenery. Try crabbing for the first blue crabs in early May all through the fall - the Wye River is popular for crabbing, as well as state parks such as Janes Island, Point Lookout and Hart-Miller Island. Deer, geese, ruffed grouse, and wild-turkeys are popular game during hunting season.
